Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the report by the United States Senate Armed Services Committee on the number of Chinese fake components found in United States military aircraft, whether United Kingdom forces operate any of the affected aircraft; and whether any danger is posed to United Kingdom troops.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the report by the United States Senate Armed Services Committee on the number of Chinese fake components found in United States military aircraft, whether any similar components are incorporated in aircraft or military equipment manufactured in the United Kingdom.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the report by the United States Senate Armed Services Committee on the number of Chinese fake components found in United States military aircraft, whether they intend to carry out or initiate any similar inquiry in the United Kingdom.

Lord Astor of Hever: United Kingdom forces operate the Boeing C-17 and Lockheed Martin C-130J aircraft, named in the United States Senate Armed Services Committee report on counterfeit electronic parts. The report also refers to the Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter. United Kingdom forces operate a variant of this aircraft, the Augusta Westland AH1. There are significant differences between the electronic systems of this aircraft and those of the US AH-64.
	The Ministry of Defence (MoD) Quality Assurance Authority has not received any reports of counterfeit electronic parts having been detected in MoD equipment in the past five years.
	The MoD's framework of contract conditions requires that our contractors supply "fit for purpose" products. Recent changes to the framework have included a strengthening of the requirements for certificates of conformance, whereby suppliers must attest that their product meets MoD requirements.
	The MoD is aware that counterfeit products are becoming a serious problem worldwide and is working with industry experts to raise awareness of the risk of counterfeit parts entering the supply chain. A counterfeit awareness working group (CAWG) has been established, to develop guidance on the issue to be used across the MoD and industry. The CAWG arranged an awareness event on counterfeit parts for MoD and industry personnel in July 2011 and is planning another for June 2012.
	As no counterfeit electronic parts have been detected in MoD aircraft, there is not considered to be a current threat to UK aircrew and there are no plans to hold an inquiry along the lines of that conducted by the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Department for Work and Pensions: Forums

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Department for Work and Pensions Forums have been disbanded.

Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to engaging with stakeholders and organisations that represent and support claimants. This particular forum was one of many opportunities that we continue to provide best to facilitate stakeholder engagement. Ministers and official meet frequently with stakeholder to discuss all aspects of the department's work, and will continue to do so.

e-bullying

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking action to combat sexually explicit peer-to-peer e-bullying, and to educate young people about its dangers.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, the Government have been working with industry, academia, charities and parenting groups to develop consistent advice and information for children and parents to keep children safe from online risks, including sexually explicit bullying. This includes an awareness and understanding programme for children and parents. The Government are also pressing the industry at European level to implement clear and simple processes for monitoring and responding to reports of harmful content such as cyberbullying.

Food Standards Agency: Contractors

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the 2012-13 charge-out rate for a meat hygiene inspector employed by the Food Standards Agency comprises the combined salary and national insurance cost.

Earl Howe: The 2012-13 hourly charge-out rate for a Food Standards Agency (FSA) meat hygiene inspector (MHI) is £28.80. The charge-out rate is the same for employed and contracted MHIs. The costs of MHIs total £34.3 million and of this amount 79% (£27.1 million) relates to the direct cost.
	The full details of the direct and indirect costs for MHIs are broken down in the following table:
	
		
			 MHI industry charge rate 2012-13 
			  £m 
			 Salaries-employed staff 14.6 
			 Overtime-employed staff 3.0 
			 National insurance cost-employed staff 1.4 
			 Pensions-monthly employer contributions 2.7 
			 Contractor cost to FSA 5.4 
			 Direct cost 27.1 
			 MHI proportion of indirect cost 7.2 
			 Total MHI cost 34.3 
		
	
	These details and further information about the FSA costs and charges for 2012-13 are available at: www. food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2012/feb/meatcosts.

Food Standards Agency: Contractors

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the 2012-13 charge-out rate for a contracted official veterinarian comprises the cost paid by the Food Standards Agency to the contractor; what are the overheads covered by the rest of the charge-out rate; and what percentages they represent.

Earl Howe: The 2012-13 hourly charge-out rate for a Food Standards Agency (FSA) official veterinarian (OV) is £36.80. The charge-out rate is the same for employed and contracted OVs. The cost of contracted OVs is £12.1 million which represents 77% of the total cost of OVs of £15.8 million. The indirect costs relating to OVs are £2.9 million, 18% of the total OV costs. The remaining 5% (£0.8 million) of the costs relate to the OVs directly employed by the FSA. The following are categories of overhead or indirect costs:
	operations support;information technology;human resources;finance;depreciation/amortisation;travel-plant based staff;planning/estates;laundry/equipment;legal/internal audit health and safety;comms;procurement;chief executive and board;chief scientist/economists; and food safety policy/strategy.
	The details of the direct and indirect costs for OVs are broken down in the following table:
	
		
			 OV industry charge rate 2012-13 
			  £m 
			 Salaries-employed staff 0.6 
			 Overtime-employed staff 0.0 
			 National insurance cost-employed staff 0.1 
			 Pensions-monthly employer contributions 0.1 
			 Contractor cost to FSA 12.1 
			 Direct cost 12.9 
			 OV proportion of indirect cost 2.9 
			 Total OV cost 15.8 
		
	
	These details and further information about the FSA costs and charges for 2012-13 are available at: www. food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2012/feb/meatcosts.

Gibraltar

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the details of any Royal Navy activity in British sovereign waters off Gibraltar in the seven days to 21 May.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the details of any Royal Navy commitment to intervening if incursions into British sovereign waters are made by the Spanish Guardia Civil.

Lord Astor of Hever: A part of the Royal Navy's role in Gibraltar is to deter and challenge all marine incursions which threaten the integrity of British Gibraltar territorial waters. In line with standing orders, appropriate warnings have been issued in response to each recent incursion by Spanish state vessels. We continue to make protests through diplomatic channels.

Gibraltar

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the details of the rules of engagement for Royal Navy vessels charged with patrolling and protecting British waters off Gibraltar.

Lord Astor of Hever: It is not our policy to comment on details of rules of engagement.

Gibraltar

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government who makes the decision as to whether or not Royal Navy vessels respond to any incursions into British sovereign waters by the Spanish Guardia Civil.

Lord Astor of Hever: The Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron is under the operational control of the Commander of British Forces Gibraltar.

Government Departments: Smoking

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements there are for officials of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills who smoke during office hours.

Baroness Wilcox: At the department's buildings at 1 Victoria Street, Westminster, and Westfield House, Wandsworth, there are designated smoking areas at the rear of the buildings. Officials at other buildings occupied by the department are asked to smoke away from entrances and canopies.

Health: Coeliac Disease

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal of Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to discontinue funding prescriptions for gluten-free foods for people with coeliac disease.

Earl Howe: The Government have made no assessment of Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust's (PCT) proposals to discontinue funding prescriptions for gluten-free foods for people with coeliac disease.
	It is right that PCTs explore ways to encourage and support clinically appropriate, cost-effective prescribing by general practitioners (GPs). However, PCTs have no legal ability to prevent a GP prescribing a particular product, unless it is subject to a national restriction put in place by the department.

Health: PET Scanners

Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the past three years for which data are available, what was the average patient waiting time for use of a positron emission tomography scanner, both nationally and according to region.

Earl Howe: These data have not been collected centrally.
	The new diagnostic imaging dataset, launched in April 2012, will capture information of the location of positron emission tomography computed tomography services and waiting times from referral to examination. The first monthly data are expected to be published later this year.

Health: Podiatry

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government which NHS Trusts do not have dedicated inpatient footcare team services; and what guidance they issue on best practice on reducing amputation levels amongst diabetes sufferers.

Earl Howe: The National Diabetes Inpatient Audit (NaDIA), which is an annual snapshot of acute care published each year by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, collects data on characteristics of hospital sites including staffing structures, patient clinical data and patient experience information using paper based questionnaires. We are unable to say which trusts do not have dedicated inpatient footcare teams as not all sites for each trust may have participated in the audit.
	The following information has been taken from responses in October 2011 to Question 5 of the Hospital Characteristics form.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of Hospital sites participating in the 2011 NaDIA and those stating that they did not have a multi-disciplinary foot team1 
			  England Wales Total 
			 Participation 188 18 206 
			 Of which: Hospitals stating that they did not have a multi-disciplinary foot team 75 9 84 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 A multi-disciplinary foot team is defined as a team consisting of a least a Diabetologist, a Podiatrist with skills in managing the diabetic foot and a surgeon (general, orthopaedic or vascular surgeon)
	Source: National Diabetes Inpatient Audit

Health: Primary Care Practices

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the continuance of the NHS London project monitoring the quality of individual primary care practices in London.

Earl Howe: NHS London is continuing to work with local stakeholders to develop its general practice outcome tool as a resource for the public in London.
	NHS London is currently working with the NHS Commissioning Board Authority to enable learning from its work to be reflected in the NHS Commissioning Board's future approach to monitoring and improving the quality of general practice services.

High Hedges

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the workings of high hedges legislation contained in Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003; and, if so, when.

Baroness Hanham: We have no current plans to undertake a specific review of this part of the 2003 Act.

Mental Health

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there is a causal link between prolonged economic recession and mental health problems.

Earl Howe: There is evidence showing that the incidence of mental health problems can increase in times of economic and employment uncertainty. Suicide rates have tended to rise during periods of high unemployment or economic uncertainty although they have not done so in the latest figures available.
	Suicide rates in England have been at a historical low recently. The latest Office for National Statistics data show that suicide levels declined until 2007 and have stayed steady over the past three-year period and are low in comparison to those of most other European countries. The three-year rate has remained around 7.9 deaths per 100,000 population since 2005-07. The 2008-10 rate represents a fall of 15% since 1999-2001.
	It is particularly timely that, in support of the Mental Health Strategy No Health Without Mental Health, we will shortly be publishing a suicide prevention strategy for England.

NHS: London Ambulance Service

Lord Davies of Stamford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, over the last 12-month period for which figures are available, how many emergency calls to the London Ambulance Service resulted in an instruction to stand off pending the arrival of the police.

Earl Howe: This information is not collected centrally.

Railways: European Rail Traffic Management System

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for funding the supply and installation of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) equipment in train cabs of (1) passenger franchise operators, (2) open access passenger operators, and (3) freight operators, to enable them to run trains on track equipped with ERTMS.

Earl Attlee: Network Rail is responsible for delivering the ERTMS deployment, including train fitment, and is funded to do so. It works closely with industry to determine the most cost efficient methods for funding train fitment. It is likely that freight and open access operator train fitment will be directly funded by Network Rail. For franchised operators, train fitment will typically be funded under the Network Change commercial arrangements under Network Code or, where appropriate, the Department for Transport would seek to include train fitment as part of the re-franchising process.

Regional Development Agencies

Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the abolition of regional development agencies, how many staff have transferred to government departments or to other non-departmental bodies; and at what cost.

Baroness Wilcox: As part of the closure programme, 461 regional development agency staff have transferred to government departments and non-departmental public bodies between June 2010 and June 2012 in respect of continuing functions or asset transfers. In general there is no additional cost associated with such transfers as, in accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations or equivalent Cabinet Office protocols, existing terms and conditions are maintained.

Reptiles

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government, according to Eurostat, how many reptiles were imported into the European Union in total (of both CITES and non-CITES listed species) in each year from 2001 to 2011.

Baroness Wilcox: The EU-27 imported the following number of reptiles in each year from 2002 to 2011. Data for 2001 were not available.
	2002: 1,301,082;2003: 1,502,249;2004: 1,796,257;2005: 1,634,660;2006: 2,252,465;2007: 2,903,626;2008: 2,488,852;2009: 1,815,919;2010: 1,558,901; and 2011: 1,639,857.
	Source: BIS Analysis of Eurostat data

Schools: Foreign Exchange Students

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decline in one-to-one family-based foreign exchanges for maintained school pupils, in furtherance of their modern language studies; and what if any action they propose to take to encourage such exchanges.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Department for Education does not collect data on one-to-one family-based exchanges and has made no specific assessment of the numbers of pupils taking up these opportunities.
	The Government recognise that school links and exchanges can provide valuable opportunities to improve language skills. Large numbers of schools take part in such activities; for example, through the British Council's Connecting Classrooms programme. It is, however, for individual schools to decide whether or not they wish to participate in such exchanges.
	Good teaching of languages is very important. It improves the mind and helps pupils to understand the world in which they live. It is also important for the social and economic future of the country. That is why we have introduced a modern or ancient language as one of the academic subjects making up the EBacc at GCSE level. The EBacc is already encouraging more young people to take a language at GCSE level.

Scotland: Referendum

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they agree with the Scottish Government that a referendum in Scotland on independence should be held in 2014; whether they will have any input as to the questions to be asked; and whether, if the result of such a referendum favoured independence, they will facilitate through legislation the removal of Scotland from the United Kingdom.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The UK Government are committed to facilitating a legal, fair and decisive referendum on Scotland's constitutional future. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is working with the Scottish Government to reach agreement on the terms of the referendum.

Scotland: Referendum

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have agreed a date with the Scottish Government for a referendum on Scottish independence.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is engaged with the Scottish Government in order to agree the terms of a legal, fair and decisive referendum on Scotland's constitutional future.

Scotland: Referendum

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have agreed with the Scottish Government on the question or questions to be put to the Scottish people in the forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is engaged with the Scottish Government in order to agree the terms of a legal, fair and decisive referendum, on the single issue of independence.

Teachers: Qualifications

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each year between 2006 and 2011, how many of the students who completed initial teacher training qualifications did so by way of (1) the graduate teacher programme, (2) enrolment at a higher education institution, and (3) school-centred initial teacher training.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The number and percentage of initial teacher training (ITT) trainees who obtained qualified teacher status (QTS) by way of (1) the graduate teacher programme (GTP), (2) higher education institutions (HEI) and (3) school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) in England are presented in Table A.
	Figures for academic years 2005-06 to 2009-10 are provided and represent the latest available information. Figures for 2010-11 are not yet available.
	
		
			 Table A-The number and percentage of ITT recruits who attained QTS that did so through the GTP, HEI and SCITT routes in England 
			   2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 
			 GTP Number 4,600 5,140 4,820 4,970 4,940 
			  Percentage 14% 15% 15% 15% 14% 
			 HEI Number 25,540 25,490 25,040 25,200 26,820 
			  Percentage 77% 75% 76% 76% 77% 
			 SCITT Number 1,470 1,490 1,430 1,450 1,600 
			  Percentage 4% 4% 4% 4% 5% 
			 Other Number 1,490 1,970 1,690 1,500 1,320 
			  Percentage 5% 6% 5% 5% 4% 
			 Total Number 33,100 34,090 32,980 33,110 34,680 
		
	
	Source: Teaching Agency Performance Profiles
	Notes:
	1 Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percentage point.
	2 Other ITT routes includes all other ITT routes to QTS, such as Teach First.

Teaching

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what schemes and incentives are in place to attract graduates into the teaching profession.

Lord Hill of Oareford: We set out the schemes and initiatives we will be using to help attract more of the highest achieving graduates into teaching in Training Our Next Generation of Outstanding Teachers: Implementation Plan, published in November 2011. These include:
	using bursaries of up to £20,000 to attract the best performing graduates in the subjects where they are most needed; in partnership with the Institute of Physics, providing up to 100 scholarships of £20,000 to help attract more of the best graduates into physics teaching;expanding the successful Teach First programme which places highly able graduates to work in challenging schools; andencouraging service leavers to become teachers through a new Troops to Teachers programme.

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether recent changes in penalties for road traffic offences have led to a reduction in the number of heavy goods vehicles breaking the law on the A55 in North Wales.

Earl Attlee: The last change to heavy goods vehicle penalties was the introduction of graduated fixed penalty deposits (GFPD) in 2009. In 2009 the prohibition rate in the Holyhead area, which includes the A55, was 41% for mechanical defects and 23% for drivers hours prohibitions. By 2011 the prohibition rate was 34% for mechanical defects and 21% for drivers hours prohibitions.
	However, the benefits of introducing GFPD were to enable sanction actions against non UK drivers at the roadside and ensure that offences were dealt with across the board in a proportionate and consistent manner.

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have been killed or seriously injured as a result of contact with heavy goods vehicles on the A55 in North Wales since European Union Regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect.

Earl Attlee: The information requested is not yet available. Statistics on reported personal injury road accidents for the full year 2011 will be published on 28 June 2012. Statistics for 2012 will be published in June 2013.

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many heavy goods vehicles have been stopped by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency examiners on the A55 in North Wales since European Union Regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many immediate prohibitions have been issued by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency examiners to drivers of heavy goods vehicles on the A55 in North Wales since European Union Regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prohibitions by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency examiners issued to drivers of heavy goods vehicles on the A55 in North Wales since European Union Regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect have been issued to vehicles based (1) in the United Kingdom, and (2) elsewhere in Europe.

Earl Attlee: European Union Regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect from 4 December 2011. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency's enforcement figures on the A55 since then are as follows:
	
		
			  Mechanical checks Drivers Hrs checks Weighed Vehicles Mechanical Prohibitions Drivers Hours Prohibitions Overloading Prohibitions .. of which Immediate 
			 UK 156 244 16 43 82 6 19 
			 Non-UK 354 594 62 124 162 39 32 
			 Total 510 838 78 167 244 45 51 
		
	
	* Figures are from 4.12.11- 25.05.12

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the prohibitions by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency examiners issued to drivers of heavy goods vehicles on the A55 in North Wales since European Union Regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect have been issued to the same hauliers and drivers on more than one occasion.

Earl Attlee: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency operates a targeted enforcement system called operator compliance risk score (OCRS), which uses historical evidence from previous encounters to ensure that high risk operators are inspected more frequently than those considered to be compliant.
	Between 4 December 2011 and 25 May 2012, 38 operators were issued with prohibitions on more than one day.

Welfare: Women

Lord Janner of Braunstone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that women are not disproportionately affected by changes in the welfare system.

Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions, like all departments, must show due regard when developing policy to the impact of the new proposals on race, disability and gender (including gender reassignment).
	Equality impact assessments for the Welfare Reform Act are published at www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare%/2Dreform/legislation%2Dand%2Dkey%2 Ddocuments/welfare%2Dreform%2Dbill%2D2011/impact%2Dassessments%2Dand%2Dequality/.

Youth Centres

Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many youth centres belonging to local authorities were closed in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, and (3) 2012 to date.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Information about the number of youth centres belonging to local authorities is not held centrally. Local authorities are accountable to their councillors and to local people for how they prioritise and allocate their available resources.
	The Government have, however, secured £141 million over 2011-13 to complete a network of high quality Myplace youth centres in 63 of the most disadvantaged areas of the country. These will be hubs for a wide range of services, transforming the local offer for young people and in many cases hosting National Citizen Service teams.